Apparatus for decomposing water by electrolysis.



PATENTED MAR. 2'7, 1906.

W. P. M. MGOARTY. APPARATUS FOR DEGOMPOSINGWATER BY ELEGTROLYSIS.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 8, 1904. RENEWED SEPT. 25, 1905.

l/l/lllllllllllll/ll/ll/l/ fwwwfaif inf/7f. hizja 2:7 1/? WZZM UNITESTATES PATENT orFIoE.

WILLIAM F. M. MCCARTY, OF ROCKY RIDGE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS A.DARBY, TRUSTEE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 1906.

Application filed November 8,1904. Renewed September 25,1905. Serial No.280.058.

To all 207mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. M. Mc- CARTY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Rocky Ridge, in the county of Frederick and State ofMaryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forDecomposing ater by Electrolysis, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in anapparatus for de composing water by electrolysis, and has for its objectto provide a device in which the construction and arrangement of theparts will enable the decomposition of the water to be accomplished withthe minimum amount of current at a low potential and the certainseparation and collection of the gases as evolved.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I have illustratedthe same in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view of an apparatus constructed according to my invention.Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of'the electrodes.

1 2 indicate, respectively, two receptacles or tanks, each of which isprovided near its lower end with an outlet-pipe3,which outlets areconnected by means of a rubber or other collar 4 to provide a conduit 6,connecting the two tanks.

7 8 indicate, respectively, two electrodes. These electrodes are eachformed from aplate of platinum coiled upon itself a greater or lessnumber of times and provided with corrugations 7 and perforations 8 thelower portion of the outer coil being provided with a projecting portion(illustrated by 9 and 10) on the respective electrodes. The projectingor terminal portion 9 10 of each electrode is located directly oppositethe opening in the conduit 6 in the respective tanks, as shown. Securedto the inner coil of each electrode at its upper end, as indicated at11, is a suitable rod or conductor 12, which is incased in a glass tube13, the latter passing through the top 14 and being surrounded by asuitable washer or stuffing-box 15 to provide a gastight connection.Extending through each of the tops 14 is a glass tube 16, by means ofwhich the water and the chemical substances employed maybe supplied tothe tanks, and a glass tube for permitting escape of the gas generatedfrom the tanks, these latter tubes being indicated, respectively, by thenumerals 17 and 18. The tanks are supplied with water to about the depthindicated by the dotted line as cc and are submerged in an outer tank 19to about the depth indicated by the dotted line y y.

By constructing the electrodes asdescribed I provide a large surface forcontact with the water, and by having the terminal portions 9 10 locateddirectly opposite each other at opposite ends of the conduit 6 thecurrent has only a small space to travel through the water, and as theoxygen and hydrogen liberated are attracted to their respectiveelectrodesthe oxygen to the anode 8 and the hydrogen to the cathode7said gases will rise vertically through the water in the two tanks andwill have no opportunity of commingling.

In actual operation I contem late adding metallic sodium to the water int e two tanks 1 and 2, and at the moment of ebullition incident to thesupply of this substance to the water an electric circuit is closedthrough the conductors 12, causing a discharge to take place in thewater between the terminals 9 10. The process of decomposing water byuse of a metallic alkali forms the subject-matter of a separateapplication for patent filed November 8, 1904, Serial No. 231,940.

In the operation of the device a great amount of heat is generated, andin order to keep the apparatus cool I partly submerge the same in waterin the vessel 10, as indicated on the drawings.

The corrugations serve to strenthen the electrodes and to prevent themfrom losing their shape under the influence of the heat generated, andthe perforations permit the bubbles of gas to pass through to the waterwithout having to pass over the entire surrace 01 the electrodes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of tanks communicatingthrough the medium of a conduit, an electrode suitably connected With asource of electricity suspended in each tank, each of said electrodeshaving a discharge portion projecting laterally therefrom and locateddirectly opposite end with a radially-projectin one end of said conduit,the said projecting through the medium of a conduit, a spiraIelectrodeof large superficial area suspended in each tank and suitably connectedwith a source of electricity, and provided at one portion logateddirectly opposite one en of said conuit.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination with two tankscommunicating near their lower ends through the medium of a conduit, aspiral electrode of large superficial area suspended in an uprightposition in each tank and connected at its upper end with a suitablesource of electricity, each of said electrodes having its outer coilterminatin at the lower end of the electrode in a radial y-projectingportion extending out- Ward from the coil and having its outer endliocated directly opposite one end of said conuit.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of tanks communicatingthrough the medium of a conduit, and a corrugated spiral electrodesuitably connected with a source of electricity suspended in each tank,each of said electrodes having a radially-projecting discharge portionlocated directly opposite I one end of said conduit.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of tanks communicatingthrough the medium of a conduit, and a perforated spiral electrodesuitably connected with a source of 5 electricity suspended in eachtank, each of said electrodes having a radially-projecting dischargeportion located directly opposite one end of said conduit.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of tanks communicatingthrough the medium of a conduit, and a corrugated and perforated spiralelectrode suitably connected with a source of electricity suspended ineach tank, each of said electrodes having a radially-projectingdischarge portion located directly opposite one end of-said conduit.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of tanks communicatingthrough the medium of a conduit, and a corrugated spiral electrodesuspended in each tank and suitably connected with a source ofelectricity and having at its lower end a radially-projecting portionlocated directly opposite one end of said conduit,

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of tanks communicatingthrough the medium of a conduit, and a perforated spiral electrodesuspended in each tank and suitabl connected with a source ofelectricity an having at its lower end a radiallyprojecting portionlocated directly opposite one end of said conduit.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of tankscommunicating through the medium of a conduit, and a corrugated andperforated spiral electrode suspended in each tank opposite one end ofsaid conduit and suitably connected with a source of electricity.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. M. MCCARTY.

Witnesses: I BRUCE S. ELLIOTT,

' GEO. W. REA.

